Niobium monoxide is the

inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemist ...

with the

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwee ...

Nb O. It is a grey solid with metallic conductivity.

Structure and electronic properties

NbO adopts an unusual cubic structure, similar to the rock salt structure but with some missing atoms compared to it, so that both niobium and oxygen atoms have square planar coordination geometries. The niobium centers are arranged in octahedra, and there is a structural similarity to the octahedral niobium clusters in lower halides of niobium. In NbO the Nb-Nb bond length is 298 pm which compares to 285 pm in the metal. One study of the bonding concludes that strong and nearly covalent bonds exist between the metal centers. It is a superconductor with a transition temperature of 1.38 K. It is used in capacitors where a layer of Nb₂O₅ is formed around NbO grains as the dielectric.

Preparation

NbO can be prepared by reduction of Nb₂O₅ by H₂. More typically, it is prepared by

comproportionation Comproportionation or synproportionation is a chemical reaction where two reactants containing the same element but with different oxidation numbers, form a compound having an intermediate oxidation number. It is the opposite of disproportionation. ...

: :Nb₂O₅ + 3 Nb → 5 NbO

References

Cited sources

* {{oxygen compounds Niobium(II) compounds Transition metal oxides Crystals in space group 221